Prospective evaluation of external ocular microbial growth and aqueous humor contamination during cataract surgery.

Purpose: To analyze the route of aqueous humor contamination leading to the development of postoperative endophthalmitis.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Methods: Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients (31 having phacoemulsification and 18 extracapsular cataract extraction [ECCE]) participated in the study.

Early rehabilitation after small incision cataract surgery.

Background: The use of smaller cataract incision is thought to induce less astigmatism, resulting in a more stable refraction and more stable wound.

Methods: We have analyzed the early astigmatic changes and rehabilitation in 20 eyes of 16 patients operated with advanced phacoemulsification techniques. The patients operated with small-incision surgery (incision 4.

Acute closed angle glaucoma and sunshine.

Study Objective: The aim was to examine a possible association of amount of sunshine and risk for acute closed angle glaucoma.

Design: This was a retrospective analysis of hospital discharge registry data, linked to meteorological data for the same period.

Setting: The study was a national survey using hospital discharge data for the whole of Finland over a 10 year period.

Visual results and social rehabilitation after cataract surgery. A retrospective comparison of the effect of non-IOL and IOL surgery.

This report examines the changes that occurred in the post-operative visual and social function of patients with cataract when the hospital responsible for cataract treatment (roughly 1000 cataract extractions per year) shifted from non-IOL to IOL techniques. Visual function and vision-dependent social performance were compared retrospectively in 116 patients, 53 of whom had undergone cataract extraction without IOL implantation, and 63 of whom had been treated by IOL implantation. Patients with no IOL had the possibility of using extended-wear contact lenses if unable to tolerate aphakic spectacles.

Economic evaluation of cataract surgery: a comparison between IOL and non-IOL techniques.

Using a sample of 116 patients, 53 of whom had undergone cataract extraction without IOL implantation, and 63 of whom had been treated by IOL implantation, a retrospective evaluation of differences in economic effects was performed. The use of non-IOL technique was cheaper for the hospital, but the overall costs for society were soon higher, mainly as a result of the significantly higher costs of obtaining contact lenses and spectacles in the non-IOL group. The longer we expect cataract surgery patients to live post-operatively the greater will be the difference in favour of using the IOL technique.